The online bookmaker has taken flurry of bets on Hockaday, who was sacked by Conference National side Forest Green in October, bringing his odds tumbling down from 50/1 at the start of the day to 2/1.

Brian McDermott's surprise departure late on Friday night saw numerous big names being linked with the Sky Bet Championship outfit and Carbone, hired as a consultant responsible for the club's "technical and football operations", had been initially installed at the head of the betting.

Former Watford boss Gianfranco Zola and ex-Middlesbrough defender Gianluca Festa are two of the other rumoured contenders.

Paul Wiggins, Sky Bet's Head of Football, said: "Since we had a request for Hockaday this morning the business for him has been one way.

"The weight of money has led the price to be cut from an initial 50/1 into 5/2 and we continue to see money at that price."

ood grief. Someone guessed that the form English player at the moment might be in his national side with some other players? And that's espionage? Now if they discovered that Emile Heskey was going to be in the starting line up.... at right back.... THAT would be espionage. Give it a rest Roy.